Miocene tree shrews from the Indian Śivaliks

Abstract

There have been no definite reports of fossil tree shrews although a rib cage from the Tatrot Formation of India has been identified as Tupaia¹, and fossil material, including the anterior part of a skull (YGSP 8089) with broken crowns of teeth (I¹–P⁴) and a lower left molar (YGSP 8090), from the Middle Śivaliks of Pakistan, has been assigned to the sub-family Tupaiinae (unpublished results by I. Jacobs). The lack of material makes it difficult to assess the evolutionary position of this group, which, together with moles and hedgehogs, is considered to include the most direct modern descendents of the primitive placentals². The living tree shrews have also attracted great interest because of the suggestion that they are related to primates. We report here a maxillary fragment (PUA I5) of the left side with M¹–M³ and an isolated right lower molar, probably M², (PUA I6) recovered from the middle Śivalik deposits of Haritalyangar in Himachal Pradesh, India. We have referred this to the Tupaiinae, although we cannot assign generic and specific names. The following communication³ describes more substantial material discovered later.